1.8 Million Drivers Did Not Renew Their Licenses: Deadline Has Passed

Process of Renewing Old Driver's Licenses Completed

In Turkey, the period for replacing old-type driver's licenses (driving permits) with new-type driver's licenses has ended as of October 31, 2023. Initially, the deadline for citizens to obtain new-type driver's licenses, which have been issued since January 1, 2016, was set for December 31, 2020. However, to prevent citizens from facing hardships, this deadline was extended a total of 4 times.

Minister Yerlikaya's Call

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya warned citizens on social media throughout October to renew their driver's licenses, highlighting that "Do not wait until the last day." He emphasized that the process would not be extended again. Following these calls, in October, 275,608 individuals applied to renew their licenses. By the end of the workday today, another 40,771 individuals had applied for renewal.

Concerning Number of Those Who Did Not Renew

Since 2016, 35 million 794 thousand 515 individuals have obtained new-type driver's licenses, while 1 million 799 thousand 172 individuals did not complete the license renewal process. The validity of old-type licenses has expired as of October 31, 2023. This situation increases the risk of being stranded on the road and encountering legal issues.

Driver's License Renewal Fees Increased

Driver's license renewal fees have also been a significant topic. The renewal fee for class B driver's licenses has been set at 7,438 lira 60 kuruş instead of 15 lira. This high amount may be another factor prompting citizens to make the decision to renew their licenses quickly.